Globe trotting without even leaving home:

Was going through some of our old albums today and just realized that Kolinyedcia is one blessed kid. Of course having a Queen for a mother is a great honor for a child of 2... I mean a Trust Fund, guest spot on Oprah, immediate propulsion to fame n fortune, the opportunity to rub shoulders with the other high rollers, vacations in da Carribean heck its not a bad legacy to inherit.

Ok I'm gonna count back from 10 and when you wake up you will remember everything and ball your eyes out har har har ... Back to reality now

But anyways seriously Nyedcia's childhood is quite an interesting one..whether she will think so when she grows up is another matter!*!.. and another blog entry all together choo hoo.. but for starters though there are other Samoan children born here in Japan the number is quite small in comparison to places such as New Zealand, Australia and the United States. As for Europe,South America, Africa the Middle East & Antartica if there are children there in particular males between the ages of 3 - 5 born to Samoan parents give me a holler and I'll set u up on a date with my girl 19 years from now lol..
Anyways, granted that many Samoans have migrated to other parts of the world and have set up families there I am sure that not many have had children who've grown up in an International University. Like literally.. and have had the chance to see and meet students from different countries. Elsa may not be able to visit most of these places in her lifetime but she can at least say she has met someone from that country.

Elsa with her beautiful aunty Chica Singawinata of Indonesia.

Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University is quite unique for a private Institute especially here in Japan there are about 40 or more countries being represented and the number is most likely to increase.

Elsa has probably met most of the International students, has had a picture taken with them or have a picture of her in their (keitais)mobile or cell phones. So in a virtual sense, Elsa has already started her globe troting adventure without ever leaving the country and even before she could spell and write her name.

Nyedcia has been going up to APU since she was about 2 or 3 months old. School was out for the winter break but there were still a few souls around. We did not have internet at home then so whenever we needed to check emails or felt the need to chat we'd go up to school and use the free facilities. We also downloaded music and movies but that is for a later entry heheh...

Elsa with Azahar bin Shaik of Malaysia

When school started again for Spring Semester 2004 Elsa attended class with me. She was such a good baby (Bring back da good ole days**! puhleaassee...) she would drink her milk and then go to sleep and I was free to concentrate on my class.

My classmates would fuss over her and of course I had plenty of volunteer babysitters to choose from. I even had students who I didn't know offer to look after her. Thank goodness the reach of those who sell babies on the black market and their operatives does not extend to our area otherwise my poor baby would have been a real easy target. (Show Elsa food n she'll follow u home.) Anyways I always made sure that if I were to leave her with people It would be those I trusted and knew well so it was either with my girls Line, Lisa, Edna or Koyu or our other close friends Khila,Choogi, Sue and Medusha.

When Elsa took her first steps, had her first tooth the kids were just as excited as I was, they fawned over her and imitated her goo goos and gagas.. Others swore she said their name or some word in some language. Elsa became a fixture at school she was like the APU mascot, many came to know her, befriend her and learned her name as for me I was relegated to the back seat and had to be content with the title of "Elsa's mom" so much for the Queen portfolio.

Elsa with NanaKing Emmanuel Mc Lord Answar of Ghana...

Out of courtesy for my fellow classmates and lecturer I asked their permission first before bringing Elsa into the classroom. It was a unanimous yes an agreement poor Professor Eades probably regretted but could not rescind. Elsa was no longer a baby but a crawling nightmare she wasn't a noisy child but her presence was distracting.

Poor Prof Eades had to compete with Elsa for the students attention as well as checking her whereabouts each time before going back to his desk or when getting up to use the whiteboard. Elsa was like the Energizer bunny surveying the layout of the land, darting here and there eliciting squeals of delight and fright from whomever's legs she happend to pop out from underneath (tsk tsk naughty child... a bad habit she procured from her old man har har...)
Elsa loved every bit of attention she got. I hope however this experience will not turn her into an attention seeking psycho in da future. It is very possible that she may later develop symptoms of ADD: Attention Deficiency Disorder coz we will eventually go home to Samoa where she will discover much to her dismay that she is not the center of the Universe..lol. It will be a major adjusment for her as we have about 20 other grandchildren around da house but then again she's a Hamo kid and they are built sturdy and strong. And after getting her little tush swiped by the broom once or twice she will forget her regal bearings in a flash..lol.

Niece Line (Elle) with our Bleached Samoan Kylie Frances Pearce of Australia & Elsa

Anyways perhaps the only other thing that Elsa loves more than being fussed over is the goodies the students bring her. The would rummage through their bags for various stuff (food/ toys etc) and Elsa would sit on her legs the way the Japanese do and drool..Yep..yep she'd let loose the flood gates and let 'em have it... and the dogs back home think they have the begging act down to a T. Elsa can do it with her eyes closed.

At present Elsa can not string a proper sentence together..she speaks more Japanese and English while words in my mother tongue come out sounding like Paris Hilton on a bad hair day.. but it's something hopefully a trip home one day will change. Elsa has grown up listening to many different languages Bahasa Indonesian, Malay, Filipino, Russian etc and is a little confused.. ok maybe very confused but it's not a serious nor permanent handicap (I hope gulp ..gulp..)just a time delayed reaction.
I am not too worried about her speaking abilities though infact I am enjoying this temporary peace n quiet as I know it won't last. People are usually born with their eyes closed and mouths open.. they spend the rest of their lives trying to reverse that mistake of nature har har...
When my husband finally joined us October 2004 Elsa was almost 1 year old. She was made to stay home so she could bond with her dad. My husband also wanted to make up for loss time with his daughter. I on the other hand had to adjust to the new changes namely:

1- A lighter backbag, no more pampers and baby wipes falling out whenever I have to take my books out.
2- No more early morning rush to fix baby formula n packed lunched. Pick out clothes.
3- No more huffing and puffing up to the bus stop with a little person in toe.
4- No more looking around in class to see whose bag Elsa was rummaging through now.
5- No more checking to see if she is hungry, thirsty, wants a nap or has dropped one of 'em precious cargos etc
But despite all that new found freedom:
- I realized that out of habit I would look to my side to catch a glimpse of my baby.
- That my arms felt empty and I wished she was sleeping like before snuggling against me
- That part of my interest in the lectures was becoz my daughter was there to share it with me.
- Instead of taking my time up at school before after class so that Elsa's mates could spend some time with her I found myself practically running for the bus.
I couldn't wait to get home so I could see my angel. This was the first time that we were separated apart from the first two weeks of her life that was spent at Oita Children's Hospital due to delivery complications.
It was that moment that I could understand exactly what every mother goes through when they are not with their children; whether it is because of work, or any other reason.. The emptiness, the longing, it's hard real hard but when you are about to see them again I tell you there is no feeling like going home to your child/children...